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The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a 2012 American science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The picture is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, with a screenplay by Ross, Collins and Billy Ray. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem, where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games, a televised annual event in which the "tributes" are required to fight to the death until there is one remaining who will be crowned the victor. Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the games. Joined by her district's male tribute Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson), Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy (Harrelson). RiffTrax released their riff in September 2012. Synopsis and Preview ' Begin' The nation of Panem consists of a wealthy Capitol ruling twelve poorer districts. As punishment for a past rebellion and as an outlet to quell social uprising, each district must provide two "tributes" - one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 selected by lottery (the "Reaping") - every year to compete in the televised Hunger Games; they must fight to the death in a vast arena, with the sole survivor rewarded with fame and wealth. In District 12, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to be the female Tribute when her younger sister Primrose is initially drawn. She and the male Tribute Peeta Mellark, a boy her age from the same village, are escorted to the Capital by chaperone Effie Trinket and their mentor Haymitch Abernathy, a past District 12 victor and severe alcoholic. Haymitch impresses on them the importance of gaining sponsors as they can provide gifts of food and supplies during the Games. During part of a series of interviews, Peeta publicly expresses his love for Katniss, which she initially takes as trying to earn sponsors' favor, but later learns his love is earnest. While training, Katniss observes the Careers Marvel, Glimmer, Cato and Clove, Tributes from Districts 1 and 2 that have been illegally training from the Games since a young age. At the start of the games, Katniss ignores Haymitch's advice and tries to acquire supplies from the Cornucopia, the central point of the arena, and narrowly avoids being killed; nearly half the Tributes are killed in the initial melee. Katniss tries to stay as far away from the other competitors but the gamemaster Seneca Crane directs his agents to trigger events on the field to force her back towards the others. She runs into the Careers, whom Peeta has allied with, and escapes up a tree, where she finds Rue, District 11's female Tribute, hiding. The two work together to knock a nest of poisonous tracker jackers onto the Careers, killing Glimmer and forcing the others to flee. Rue helps Katniss tend to her wounds, becoming friends, and they work a plan to secretly destroy a cache of supplies the Careers have been hoarding, causing the Careers to distrust each other. Marvel discovers them and kills Rue before Katniss can help her. Katniss shoots and kills Marvel with an arrow, then mourns for Rue's loss, making sure her moment of sorrow is captured on the broadcast. The people of District 11, taken by Katniss' action, start a riot. President Snow warns Crane that this turn of events does not bode well for the Games. When Crane returns, Haymitch suggests that he alter the game rules to allow two winners to make things interesting. When this change is announced, with the stipulation that the winners have to be from the same district, Katniss searches for Peeta, finding him wounded after fleeing from the Careers. After moving him to safety, Katniss leaves to get medicine from the Cornucopia, where Clove attempts to kill her. Katniss is saved when Thresh, District 11's other tribute, arrives and kills Clove, believing she had killed Rue. He lets her live for Rue. Katniss returns with the medicine and prepares Peeta for the final hours of the game. Crane sends out wild beasts that kill Thresh, leaving only Cato, Katniss, and Peeta alive. Katniss and Peeta make it to Cornucopia where Cato is waiting and threatens to kill them both as the wild animals approach. Katniss gets the upper hand, and Cato falls to the ground and is eaten by the beasts. Morning reaches in the arena, where Katniss and Peeta are still alive. They think there are the victors, but Crane shuts the district rule down, only allowing one victor. Katniss convinces Peeta to ingest nightlock which she had rationed in the woods. When the two attempt to commit suicide, they are taken by The Capitol who claim them the victors of the 74th Hunger Games. On their way back to District 12, Haymitch warns Katniss she has made great enemies with her act of defiance. Snow condemns Crane to his death after failing to improve the Games, and ponders his next course of action. End Cast and Crew *Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen *Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark *Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne *Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy *Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket *Lenny Kravitz as Cinna *Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman *Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow *Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane Quotes Notes See Also *The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix *The Guy From Harlem External Links *The Hunger Games on RiffTrax *The Hunger Games on Amazon Category:The Hunger Games Category:RiffTrax Category:Official RiffTrax Category:RiffTrax in 2012